Courtesy of War
by JaedynLeStat
Summary: The war broke out, and the pain began. Hogwarts may be the last place left to survive for the few student willing to return. Luna got caught up in Love, Loathe, and Death of friends. Can life ever be normal again? LL NL, LL DM, HG RW, and various others.
1. Chapter 1 My Worst Tragedy

1Please don't kill me after reading this. I accept flames and comments, just please don't go over-board. 3 BabyDoll

This is pretty much all written from Luna's point of view, she's telling the story of what happened. I hope you like the ending, which wont be posted in this chapter of course. And don't worry, it seems so dark and sorrowful now, but it will get better. I promise. There will be bits of humor woven into it when people start easing up.

xXx People may slip in and out of character, I'm sorry. Just some warning ;) xXx

**Chapter One: My Worst Tragedy**

I stared blankly out the rain-covered window of the train, wondering how many Kinipzels hadn't made it to shelter in time to keep clear of the storm. I stared past my own darkened reflection on the glass. Past the pale skin and bright eyes that almost glow. Past the messy blonde hair kept up in a bun with my wand. Past what everyone saw when they looked at me, and into the storm of my soul that nobody knew, but everyone knew at the same time. The thing I became when my father died trying to block a curse at me from a deatheater.

I was looking forward to her sixth year at Hogwarts. I could get away from the small apartment I lived in with Ginny down one of the back roads at Diagon Alley. I'd get away from the tiny bookstore I worked in. And I'd get away from trying my hardest to take my father's place at the Quibbler, but not even coming close. I could just get away, and focus hard on schoolwork for a change, even though I knew that isn't what would happen.

"Hey Luna..." Ginny said listlessly as she walked into the compartment. Her chin-length hair was tied up into two very messy ponytails at the sides of her head, and her clothes were more ratty than usual. She wore a beige sweater that had been Ron's, and jeans two-sizes too big, but held up by a small chord of dragon's hide. Since the war had broken out, student's who still chose to attend Hogwarts were not required to wear uniforms anymore.

"Hi..." I replied, though I wasn't really listening to her. I just wanted to keep looking out the window, and thinking about the poor creatures who weren't as fortunate to have a dry train to ride on.

Everything had changed so much in the short time it had taken for the war to turn massive. So many people had died, gone into hiding, shifted over to the evil side, or just given up on life. In the wonderful years before the war, it was nearly impossible to find an empty seat on the Hogwart's Express. Now it was nearly impossible to find a compartment with someone in it. Few students had chosen to keep attending Hogwarts, and even fewer's parents had let them go. Hogwart's wasn't the last safe place anymore. There was no safe place left anywhere. But for those who had lost almost everything, Hogwarts was the closest thing to home. I had lost my father, and my little sister to the war. When the deatheaters had knocked on the door, father told me and Leelu, my little sister, and get to the fall out shelter underneath the kitchen, that we'd would be safe there. I told Leelu to go first, and I would follow her. But before I closed the self-sealing door, I was blinded by green light from the curse that was killing my father. I closed the door before I noticed there was someone else in the little safe-room with us. Lucius Malfoy had the Leelu by the neck, a sharp black dagger nearly piercing her skin. I remember my father mentioning Lucius Malfoy not being one for child's play, but he had changed in Azkaban. _'What do you want?'_ I had screamed, before I dropped to my knees. I couldn't take it all anymore. _'Your loyalty...'_ He had replied, before slitting Leelu's throat right in front of my eyes. That was the last thing I could remember, and the only thing that filled my nightmares every night. I didn't know how I got the dark mark on my arm, and I didn't know how I ended up in a bed next to Ginny's bed at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. I didn't know how Professor McGonagall had made me feel better, and I didn't know how Harry had disappeared. I didn't know how I got back into a normal life, if that's what you could call it, and I didn't know why I was returning to Hogwarts.

But I had hardly ever let out my feelings. In fact, Ginny and Neville were the only people who knew what had happened to me, and only because I loved Neville, and I knew Ginny's story was worse than my own.

When deatheaters invaded the Burrow on the same night they invaded my's house, Ginny lost most of her family. Her parents, along with Bill and Charlie, had all been murdered in front of her, trying to protect her and her other siblings. Fred and George had disappeared, their whereabouts were still unknown. It was only Ron and Ginny who had gotten away. They made it to the top floor of the house where the broomsticks were stored, and flew fast. But Ginny had taken a mighty curse to the stomach, and lost too much blood. She fainted and fell off her broomstick somewhere over London. Somehow, the Order found her. And Ron had found the Order, what was left of it.

Hermione had been kidnapped by deatheaters before the war had even started. Her death was supposed to be an early warning to the muggleborn witches and wizards in the world, but the deatheaters took a wrong turn by keeping Hermione and four other muggleborns at the Malfoy manor. Snape and Malfoy, Draco that is, overthrew the guards, and released the Muggleborns. Hermione was the only one who survived.

Snape had turned out loyal to Dumbledore, even though he was the cause of the legend's death. They knew it had to happen, they had both seen it in a prophecy with their own eyes. Dumbledore was ready to go, the Magical community was not ready to let him go.

Draco's mother had been shopping in India when the war started, and was killed in a cross-fire. After that, Draco went into hiding, kind of. He dyed his hair dark, wore muggle-clothing, and burned the dark mark off of his arm himself. He lived in the same apartment building as Ginny and Luna, a building owned by the Order. They were all members. Everyone who could and would return to Hogwarts was most likely a member. There was a sense of belonging with everyone, but at the same time a sense of awkwardness. Everyone knew that everyone else had lost a part of their life, and family. And everyone knew that everyone else seen Hogwarts as the closest thing to home. I tried to make the best of everything, though it was often difficult. I could see people crying, but didn't need to ask why. I already knew.

"Luna?" Ginny asked, sitting down in the seat across from me.

"Hmm?" I asked, barely paying attention but not moving my head.

"How are we going to get through this?" Ginny asked, leaning her head against the cool window.

"I don't know. But we'll all get through it. Together." I had replied quietly, breaking up the last bit of a chocolate bar I had and handing a piece to Ginny. I always kept chocolate with me then. It helped make everyone feel at least a little better. I admit, I didn't really have the money to buy so much chocolate. The prices of everything went up just as rumors of war possibly starting broke out. Ginny and I both had a habit of things "falling" into our purses. But if you had been there, you would understand. Or maybe you do, maybe you were there.

"I hope you're right." Ginny said, nibbling at the chocolate bar as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Me too."

Most of the train ride was traveled in silence. I let her mind wander to the things I remembered so much from just the previous year. Planning out trips to find creatures with father that nobody would believe existed. Gazing at the moon for hours, wondering how long it would take to get there if you rode on a Hanna Abbatoma. But I couldn't see the moon anymore. Nobody ever could. The sky had turned black during the war, and it was always black.

The compartment door slid open. Hermione, Ron, and Neville.

Neville had sent his gran into the wizarding protection system the moment the war broke out. He had tried to convince me to go into hiding as well, but I refused. He suggested moving in with me and my family to help protect us, but I wouldn't let him. I told him he needed to go with his gran, and that we would be okay. He listened. He found the burnt down train-station his gran's train had arrived at, ashes still smoldering. Then the Order found him. He shared an apartment with Ron, next door to Ginny and me. He's only got his left eye now, and it was the only thing that could still make me smile when he said he only had eye's for me.

Nobody ever had to greet anyone. I had looked into the eyes of a crying child at a battleground, and knew the child's story had just as much sorrow as my own.

Neville sat next to me, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. He hugged me, and lay his head on top of mine. The only thing left either of us had to be grateful for was each other, and we were grateful for every second we had together.

There was no laughter anymore. Everyone who was still alive and well felt too guilty for everyone who was not. Laughing always seemed like disrespect in an awkward sort of way. And smiling was rare, but cherished.

Footsteps in the walkway outside. The compartment door opened. Draco. He took a seat next to Hermione, he had long since made peace with her being muggleborn, and she had forgiven him for being so cruel to her over their years at Hogwarts. Ron still didn't care for him much, I could see it in the way his blue eyes pierced him like daggers whenever he entered the room.

The corner of Hermione's mouth flicked upward just for the smallest second, before she lay her head on Ron's shoulder and silent tears started to run down her face. This was normal now, for everyone.

Then something happened that happens every now and then. It's so beautiful, but so sad at the same time. Because everyone knew that once it happened, it would end just as quickly, and it wouldn't happen again for a very long time.

I lifted my head as the clouds parted and the sun shown warmly on my face. I closed my eyes, and let the light warm me. The same thing everyone did when this happened. But then it was gone. And the happiness and warmth faded.

More steps in the hallway, and the door slid open. Professor McGonagall walked in looking much different than she might of looked if Hogwarts had schoolbook pictures from last year. Her wrinkles had sunken in so much, and she had dark rings around her eyes. Her hair was so messy, which was something that took the students a bit of time to get used to. She wore muggle-clothing, another strange thing. But too look around, most everyone else could have the same things said about them. She had a cart full of brown paper sacks rolling along behind her. She gave a sort of encouraging half-smile as she handed out a paper bag to each student in the compartment in silence, and then went about to find the rest of the few students on the train. The compartment remained silent as they all ate their lunch of tuna-salad sandwiches, and bottled water.

I looked around the compartment at every face as I nibbled me sandwich. _'Look at this.'_ I thought. _'This shouldn't be like this. We should all be with out families. Everyone should still be alive. But we're the only ones left...' _Everyone in the compartment was looking at me now. Had I been speaking aloud? I still don't know. My eyes met Neville's, which were filled with tears. "I'm sorry..." I whispered quietly as he hugged me like a kid who has just found their lost puppy. "Neville, I'm so sorry..."

"Shh..." He calmed me "It's ok... It's ok."

"No it's not, how can you even say that? Nothing is ok, and it's not got to be ok!" Hermione shouted, standing up in a crying rage just before she stormed out of the room.

That was normal too. Everyone was used to this kind of behavior. It happened all the time.

Ron left the compartment slowly to find Hermione and comfort her. Ginny had curled her legs up on the seat and wrapped her arms around them, her face hidden in her knees. Draco had his head back on the seat, staring up blankly at the sealing. And I remained safe in Neville's arms, never once letting go before the train stopped.

In the past years, it was hard to move once you got off the train at the station in Hogsmeade. Now, you could barely see anyone. Neville and I walked hand-in-hand, as did many of the other few students who had returned to Hogwarts. Nobody talked as they got off the train. They just followed Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Lupin; the only Order members and staff from Hogwarts who hadn't gone missing or lost contact; up the path to the school in a gloomy silence. I looked around at first, trying to count how many had returned. There were more than I had thought, more than I had expected. So many faces I didn't know anymore, or never knew to begin with. The Creevey brothers. I remember hearing about their parents being murdered in London, but hadn't know if the boys had survived. I knew now. I only found one of the Patil twins. Padma was nowhere in sight. Lee, Cho Chang's younger brother, he was walking with Parvati. He's a year younger then her, but they must have known each other. I couldn't see Cho anywhere. There were probably ten other people that I didn't recognize. It was impossible to tell how old they were, everyone had a considerable amount of dirt on their face and messy hair. Nobody had really cared about being presentable after everything happening.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all walked together, closest behind Professor McGonagall. Neville and I were nearly at the back of everyone, except Draco. He walked sulkily behind us all. Sweatshirt sleeves pulled tight around himself, and eyes staring without expression toward the ground.

Everyone just walked. There were no thestral-drawn carriages this year. No boats, and no Hagrid to guide them even if there were. They could have ridden brooms, but it's doubtful anyone would have been able to concentrate hard enough to get the brooms up off the ground. Besides, Magic was to be used sparingly anymore. Snape told everyone of the map the deatheaters had. It had little pin-like lights that lit up whenever magic was used, it made it so easy to find their enemies. Made it so easy to kill our families, and try to kill us. Made us want to shove our unused wands right up Snape's arse when he told us the map was his idea. But most of all it made us want to hide in a dark corner somewhere, hoping that everything will just stop one day, and the sun will come out, and the birds will chirp, and crumple-horned snorcacks will pounce around the fields. At least that's how it made me feel.

"Family..." Professor McGonagall had stopped a few feet from Hogwarts gate. She insisted we all call each other our family since the Order members were all each of us had anymore, and it was much quicker than calling out every single persons name when talking to us all. "There's not much to say." She said kindly, or maybe unsurely. I couldn't tell. "Just... Thank you for coming back to Hogwarts. Though many rumors have spread about Hogwarts being unsafe, I assure it's as safe as it's ever been.

"Deatheaters have gotten into Hogwarts before. Sirius Black got into..." One of the unfamiliar students piped up, scared. I remember thinking he was probably one of the students who had returned because he had no one and nowhere else to go.

"Sirius Black..." Professor Snape began in his harsh tone, which hadn't changed any from before the war. "Sirius Black was not a threat. And the deatheaters only got in because they had help..." He trailed off. I remember thinking he was probably just dying of guilt inside from what he had done.

"Yes, thank you Severus." McGonagall called, exasperated. "As you all can imagine, there isn't much left at Hogwarts. The house elves took it upon themselves to keep it in good condition, we discovered when Remus came back to check the safety. Seeing as how there are only about twenty of us here, we'll be staying in classrooms on the first floor. There's really no reason for us to go all the way up to the towers, or down to the dungeons every day and night, and it will be safer to all just stay closer together." She looked back at the towering school.

"I thought you said Hogwarts is safe..." another unfamiliar face spoke.

"I assure you, Mason, it is safe. If we all stay close, there's less of a chance of someone getting lost, or hurt, or something of the sort." McGonagall spoke up. I remember hearing her getting nervous through her tone.

"Less of a chance? But what if something does-" Another unfamiliar face spoke up, a young girl with dark hair.

"Janie, nothing will happen. You'll be safe here. We all will." Lupin spoke in such a kind, and comforting voice. The girl leaned on a boy who strongly resembled her. Probably her older brother.

"Professor McGonagall?" Ginny asked in a quiet voice. "Can I ask a question?"

"Of course." McGonagall said with an eerily maternal smile.

"Why... Why are we doing this? Taking classes, coming back to school? There's so few of us, and with everything that's happening... Why?" Ginny asked in a small and desperate voice.

"Sometimes, Miss Weasley... When there's too much to take in your life, or the world... It helps to have a safe place to stay with good friends. Sometimes, when you know you'll be alright, things will start to seem a little bit better." Hermione let out a cold single laugh as Lupin said this. "And sometimes, all some people need is time. Time alone, time with the ones they love, time to think... maybe time to read." He smiled as he said this, and everyone seemed to ease a bit as we started realizing why we'd come back.

I looked at Neville and smiled. I remember thinking if that one moment was frozen, and the only thing I would ever know from then on... I wouldn't have minded. I wish now that it could have happened. How much I wish that could have happened.

"May we progress inside then?" Snape asked waving his wand at the gate of Hogwarts. A gate which had been so elegant, but now crackled with rust and moss.

"That may be a wise decision, Severus. It's getting dark." Lupin looked upward at the sky, seemingly worried about more things than the darkness.

We all walked up the hill to our new home, still in silence but more comfortable. I wondered if all those spells Dumbledore had put on the school for safety were still there, invisible to our eyes. I wondered if we could walk so easily through the schools gates, if other people could too. I wondered what would go wrong, and when, and how many tragedies would cross our paths. You have no idea how much I wish I didn't know those answers now. As much as a Hoober Snocken would wish it didn't see itself in a mirror.

There was a moment, just as Neville and I walked through the doors of the home where our lives would change so much, he looked at me. Looked me right in the eyes in a way that I knew he loved me. And he'd never have to say it, but he would anyway. I knew he would. He was almost my worst tragedy.


	2. Chapter 2 I Stuttered

1**Chapter Two. I stuttered.**

Our first night back at Hogwarts was nervous, anxious, and uncomfortable to say the least. All the girls were sorted into two rooms, plus Professor McGonagall's room across the hall from us. The boys were sorted into two rooms at the other end of the hall, with Severus across the hall and Lupin's room next to his. It wouldn't have been hard to sneak into someone else's room. Wouldn't have been hard... that is if the teachers hadn't placed safety spells on the rooms. I'd discover that not long after we got to Hogwarts, as would most of the other students who returned. It's probably not a bad thing that the teachers thought me may still sneak around eventually, even with all the sorrow and tragedy. I suppose. We discovered that all the ghosts had left, disappeared. All except for Moaning Myrtle. And that damn Peeves had made his way back to the school when nobody was there to kick him out. There were only two house elves left, I think their names were Dobby and -----, or something like that. There wasn't any food left, and transfigured food just doesn't do it. Professor McGonagall sent Draco, Lee, Hermione, and Myself to go with Professor Lupin into Hogsmeade. Everyone doubted that anything would be left in the town, but we had to try. I almost wish that was the last time I went to Hogsmeade.

"Oh dear, it's snowing." Professor Lupin said as he opened a door to outside that I'd never seen before. "I don't supposed any of you have cloaks or coats?" He asked, lowering his eyebrows.

"All I've got is what I have on, sir." Lee piped up, tugging his arms inside his light t-shirt. He had it worst. Nobody had anymore than what they were wearing, but at least most of us were wearing sweatshirts or sweaters. Poor Lee was stuck with a t-shirt and shorts. He and his family had supposedly been vacationing in South America when rumors of the war sprouted. By the time it actually started, they had just gotten off the plane in London.

"Here, take my coat..." Lupin said, handing Lee his long black overcoat that was much too big for the boy. "Hopefully there are still things left in the stores, even if there are no people left there with them."

"Professor, how do we know this is safe?" Draco asked, saying his first words for quite some time.

"We don't, but we don't have much of a choice." Professor Lupin said solemnly, walking out the door. We all followed, Hermione reluctantly, Lee falling behind because his coat was so heavy. I felt bad for him.

"Here, take this." I said, taking of my long sweater that tied around me. "It's not as warm, but at least you'll be able to walk." I smiled, exchanging my sweater for Lupin's coat. It was heavy, like a pile of wet blankets falling right on top of you from all the way up at the Astronomy tower, and I'm actually allowed to use that comparison by experience. But I'm taller than Lee, at least the coat was up off the ground.

"Thank you..." Lee said, apparently not knowing my name.

"Luna." I smiled, wrapping an arm around him to keep him a little warmer.

"Don't you have a boyfriend, Loon?" Draco asked, pulling off his lopsided grin.

The word boyfriend always made me uncomfortable, it still does. I shifted and let my arm fall to my side, all the while casting an evil glare at Malfoy. It hadn't even occurred to me that he called me Loon. I had gotten so used to it in prior years at school.

"Draco, that's quite enough." Lupin said sternly, not even needing to turn around.

Malfoy's smile disappeared, and fell back to walk beside me. I didn't know why. He had his arms crossed, and kept his eyes on his feet. I can't blame him. It was very cold.

"I didn't mean anything by it, you know?" He spoke quietly, still looking at his feet.

_...whoa...Is Draco... apologizing? ... To ME?_

"Uh... Yeah. It's ok, I'm-I'm used to it." I smiled, pulling Lupin's coat around me tighter as a gust of snow blew at out faces.

"Luna..." Draco started. I wish I hadn't found out later what he had planned on saying.

"Oh my god!" Hermione shouted as Hogsmeade came into sight.

I've never seen a place so empty, so deserted, so... dead. We stopped on the main road and looked around for a few moments, taking it all in. I could still see dried blood-stains on the ground underneath the light layer of snow. Snow, in September. The weather had gotten so messed up. Windows were broken, and doors were swinging open. There were no people, no animals, no noise except for the wind. The silence was deafening, and the sight was blinding. It didn't seem real. Hogsmeade had been so alive, it seemed like it couldn't possibly have been the same place we all visited so many times. But it was, sadly it was.

"Alright..." Lupin sighed, It was easy to tell that he had been wishing for something other than what we were seeing. "Lets-lets round up supplies. I don't want to have to come back here anytime soon, it's safer to stay inside the school. Wands at the ready, head into shops in pairs, and get anything you think we can use at school. Food, Clothes, anything. There isn't too much, we can find a use for anything." Lupin said, starting to sound like an army leader.

"Sir, what do we put the things in? How do we get everything back to the school?" Hermione asked. Good old Hermione, she was always the thoughtful one.

"Ah, yes. Good question, Hermione..." I could tell he was thinking. He hadn't thought yet of how they would get supplies back to the school, especially since they couldn't use magic. "Well, let's all head to The Witches Closet and see if they have any traveling cases or bags we might be able to use. That way we can all get some warmer jackets as well." Lupin nodded, heading the way to the clothing store. I remember thinking how nice it would be to get some new clothes on. I had been wearing the same thing for over a week, and I knew everyone else was thinking pretty much the same thing.

The door of The Witches Closet was laying on the ground in front of the building, next to the wooden sign. It was colder inside the store than it was outside, I don't know how. Lupin walked in the door, wand held out straight in front of him, to make sure it was safe. Even though he waved us in with relief, we were all at least a little scared while our eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness.

"Alright. Luna, Draco, you two start here. Focus on clothing, and medical supplies..." Lupin said hurriedly as he tossed myself and Draco at least five blue duffle bags from a high up shelf off to the side of where the door should have been.

"Medical supplies? What are we going to need those for?" Lee squealed, eyes wide.

"Just a precaution." Lupin's voice was incredibly calming. "One can't be too safe. Hermione, Lee - you two focus on food and drink. Don't feel bad about going to Honeydukes, as well as the three broomsticks and the small grocery store on the road next to the Hogs Head. It wont hurt to have some sweets as well as regular food." Lupin winked as he tossed Lee and Hermione even more bags than Draco and me. Probably because we'd be starting in the store and could easily get more bags if we needed to.

"Professor, where will you be?" Hermione asked, tossing the straps to her five bags over her shoulder.

"Here and there." Lupin said carefully. "Lets all meet at the gates of the shrieking shack in an hour. There's no sense to be walking back up to the school with this snow pouring down on us. And be careful. No magic, unless absolutely necessary." Lupin said, pointing a finger at everyone as he spoke. "Keep safe." And he left us to our own. Hermione and Lee nodded a couple short goodbyes before they left right after Lupin. Then it was me and Draco. We stood for a few moments, looking at each other with our bags in hand, and then around the shop. It was so dark, we could only see the outlines of the clothing racks.

"Well don't just stand there Loon..." Draco said quickly as he started to walk towards a rack that looked like it had cloaks on it, then he stopped and turned around slowly. "Sorry... Sometimes-. I just got so used to-" He stuttered, I laughed.

"Don't worry, Malfoy. You can call me Loon if it makes you feel better, it's all the same to me." I said, shoving a bundle of throw blankets into one of the duffle bags. I looked back up at him and smiled when he didn't say anything. He just stared at me. "Are... Are you going to-to help?" I asked, finding a stand with sweaters and dumping them all into the same bag as the blankets.

"Oh, oh yeah. Sorry." Draco nearly tripped as he rushed to the rack with cloaks.

"You apologize a lot lately. Half the time you don't have a reason. Why?" I asked, turning my head sideways. I didn't understand then.

"I..." Draco thought. His eyes seemed to burn into mine, I thought he was just thinking. I know differently now. "I don't really know. I guess maybe I think I should try to make up for the past." He said seriously.

"No offense, but words don't usually make up for much." I said. I thought I was being helpful. I was wrong.

We had gotten nearly everything that could keep one warm, including furry boots and socks. Surprisingly, nothing took up much room in the duffle bags. Draco pointed out that they were bottomless duffle bags, and wouldn't ever get full. I remember thinking that professor Lupin must not have noticed. I suggest we put the remaining bags inside the ones we had used, in case we needed them at school.

"Good idea. Luna." Draco smiled. A real smile, not one of those sarcastic half-smiles. I remember thinking _'I must have died. We all must have died. Draco doesn't smile...He doesn't give compliments either... When did we die? I hope Ginny turned her hair-curler off. Oh, she doesn't use one...' _

"Th-thanks." I stuttered. I never stuttered. I was too accepting to stutter. I knew that everything was inevitable and would happen eventually. I had never stuttered before. And I've only stuttered twice since.


	3. Chapter 3 Walking Backwards

1**Chapter Three. **

"Where to?" Draco asked, looking around the street as if someone would see him standing there with me and make judgements. Or maybe he was just looking for which building to head to next, I couldn't tell and I never asked.

"If we keep going this way down this alley, we'll run into Wise Wizardry. It's a drug store, they'll have medical stuff there." I said, walking down the alley.

"How do you know that? I mean, know your way around Hogsmeade?" Draco asked, rushing to keep up with me.

"You've been coming to Hogsmeade longer than I have, Draco." I said, walking backward just because I felt like it. Or maybe it was so I could keep looking at Draco, I'm not entirely sure anymore.

"What ARE you doing?" Draco asked, smiling while he tried to figure out why I was walking backwards.

"Walking backwards." I answered simply. People always thought that I was just dumb. That I never understood what they really meant by their questions. I've always understood, I just wanted them to ask the right questions, and then I'd give them the answers they were looking for. But usually they just shrugged off my answers and went back to ignoring me without asking another question.

"Why are you walking backwards?" Draco asked, laughing a little. I had never heard him laugh before. It was a childish, sweet laugh. I would never have placed Draco with that kind of laugh, never.

I stopped walking and just stared at him. I turned my head sideways. "I don't know, really. I just felt like walking backward." I grinned and started walking again. Draco surprised me.

"Alright then..." And he started walking backward as well! And he was laughing louder. All I could do was grin and think _'he's having fun... he's really having fun...'_

"Oh, here's the store, Draco." I said, stopping as we walked past a store with only shards of glass left for windows.

"I'll go first to make sure it's safe..." Draco said in a protective tone. That also surprised me. Draco walked up to the door, wand extended, and tried to turn the doorknob. "Dammit! It's locked!" he called to me, I could barely see him through all the falling snow.

I rolled my eyes, smiled at him as I walked up next to him, and hopped up through the broken window onto the display platform and into the store. I walked quickly around to the door and unlocked it so Draco could get in. The look on his face was priceless.

"Yes, well... there's that." He said quietly. I hadn't realized how close we had been standing. I could feel his body heat, unless I was just imagining it. He was several inches taller than me, so I had to look up into his eyes. Next thing I knew, he started to lean toward my face, and just stood there, knowing what would happen. Then my eyes grew wide, and I came back to reality. I turned my head away, and looked down to the floor.

"I love Neville." I whispered, not knowing if Draco heard me through the wind or not. But Draco kept leaning. I hadn't realized, but his whole body was leaning. No, not leaning, falling. He hit the ground with a smack, and I screamed as I saw a green and black dart in the back of his neck. "Draco!" I yelled, dropping to my knees next to him. He was still conscious, but I knew he'd pass out in just a few minutes. I had seen that kind of dart before. It wasn't deadly, but if you let it knock you out, you'd be out for days. How could I have been so stupid? To think Draco was actually going to kiss me. I was such an idiot. I wasn't aware of it right away, but tears started rolling down my face. Not because Draco had been hurt, no I knew he'd be ok. But because I was so dumb, and I LET myself be so dumb.

"Luna, you idiot." I said aloud, dragging Draco farther into the center of the store where there was no wind. I turned him over, and dropped down beside him again.

"It's going to be ok, Draco. Everything's going to be ok." I said in as much of a calm voice as I could manage. He looked up at me, and smiled a weak smile. I dug into my duffle, and pulled out a heavy cloak to keep him warm.

"Luna..." He whispered. "Can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me when we get back to the castle. I need to keep you awake right now..." I said quickly, shifting my eyes around the store.

"Just... please?" Draco asked, his eyes burning into mine.

"Ok, what?" I asked, a bit irritated, which is one emotion most people never see from me.

"Lean in closer..." He whispered, closing his eyes slowly and opening them again.

I sighed, and obeyed. My face was right overtop of him, bits and strands of my hair that had come loose fell around my face. Draco raised a hand to push them away, and pulled my face down closer to his. Then it happened. I closed my eyes, and our lips met. His warm soft lips locked with mine as he brushed his tongue over my bottom lip, requesting permission. Then an image of Neville flashed into my head, and I pulled away with a gasp.

"No... I love Neville..." I said quietly. I stood up without even looking back at Draco, and ran to one side of the store where I was fairly sure the correct potion would be to counteract with the potion inside that dart. I didn't even think about what had just happened, I was focusing an looking over a shelf of brightly colored potions for a bright yellow one. It was so dark, so hard to see anything except for the few potions which glowed. Then something next to the shelf caught my eye, a shelf full of muggle devices, one of them being a flashlight.

I remember seeing those when my mum had taken me to London shopping for muggle clothes. We had to stop at a gas station, because we had taken a car instead of brooms, and mum let me figure out everything inside the station. We didn't get any shopping done that day, but I was so happy because I got to play with muggle-things.

I picked up the heavy yellow light, and clicked a black button on the side. Bright light flashed across the room, and I smiled. I shown the contraption at the shelf of potions, and found the bottle full of yellow liquid in an instant. I rushed back to Draco so fast, that when I dropped down beside him, I was still sliding across the floor. I scurried back to his side again, and twisted the cork off the potion bottle. I slipped the cork in my pocket for future use (I used to make jewelry out of corks and caps), and placed my hand on Draco's face, his skin was cold.

"I'm sorry, Luna..." Draco said, reaching his hand up from under the cloak to place it on top of mine.

"It's ok." I smiled. "You have to take this now..." I said, propping him up on my legs. That was not an easy task, I had grown taller but my strength hadn't changed much. I handed him the bottle, and he took slow gulps until it was all gone.

"Thank you..." He said, letting the bottle fall beside him. I could tell he felt stronger again, he was looking around the room and he skin was turning pinker. "What... what happened?" He asked, feeling the back of his neck. His eyes grew wide as his hand brushed over the dart.

"No, don't pull it out. If you do that, it will release poison. You'll just have to leave it in until we get back to the castle and the professors can take a look." I said, taking his hand from his neck and holding it between my own small hands. He was so cold. If I was allowed, I was have started a warming fire, but we weren't allowed to do magic. Then the memory of what had just happened moments ago filled my mind, and I turned my eyes away from his.

"Luna-" Draco started in an apologizing voice, trying to catch my eyes.

"Nothing happened, Draco." I said sternly, and got to my feet. He was strong enough to hold himself up again. I picked up my duffle, and walked back to the side of the store with the potions. I dumped them all into the bag, hoping the corks were placed tight enough so they wouldn't spill. Then I moved over to the shelf with the muggle devices again, and dumped things like drew-scrivers and more flashlights, and weird paddles with bouncing balls tied with string to them. I wasn't sure what exactly they were for, but I figured they served some kind of purpose. Draco had gotten up, and was over at the other side of the store, slowly putting supplies in his duffle. I know because I turned around about ever five minutes to look at him, and then went back to putting stuff like gauzes and alcohol, and iodine, and just about everything else on the shelves in my bag. I wasn't sure what half the stuff was for, and I was stunned at how much the store looked like a muggle drug store my mum and I had gone to when Leelu was sick.

Then something hit me. No, something REALLY hit me. I looked down to see what had fallen. My eyes grew so wide, they could have fallen right out of my head. Laying on the floor at my feet was... was... was a stretched out condom. I looked around, and my eyes fell on Draco. He was blowing one up just then. When I realized what had happened, I started laughing so hard that I almost fell down. Then I did fall down. Another condom zoomed across the ceiling, and I heard footsteps walking over toward me. Draco sat down Indian style next to me, and started laughing with me. I would be that we sat there just laughing for at least five minutes. I was surprised at how comfortable I was there with Draco. We just sat there, forgetting everything that was happening in the world, blowing up condoms and laughing. I knew if I even mentioned a condom to Neville, his face would turn bright red and then he'd probably faint. I can't imagine what he'd do if he seen me blowing up an entire box of them just for a laugh.

Draco's eyes turned into cute little slants when he smiled, and all of his teeth were visible. He had dimples that I doubt many people had ever seen, and his hair always fell around his face in the exact same way.

"Well, well, well... what is this?" Hermione and Lee had snuck in the store without us seeing them. Hermione looked angry, and Lee looked like he was trying his hardest to hold in laughter.

"We were just..." Draco stood up, brushed himself off, and then helped me up. Who'd have thought that he had manners?

"...Just wasting time playing childish inappropriate games?" Hermione eyed me. She never really liked me much. Now that I think about it, I don't remember ever saying a word to her after the war started. I don't suppose I liked her much either.

"Ease up, Granger. Just because of everything what's happened, it doesn't mean we need to be angry little snails all the time." Draco said, pushing his hair out of his face with one hand. I loved it when he did that.

"Draco, you're such a-" Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at Draco before Lee spoke up.

"Whoa whoa whoa, it's not worth it Hermione. No magic." Lee had quickly taken her wand out of her hand. I only then did I realize that I was still holding Draco's hand from when he helped me up, and even more of a surprise, he was holding mine.

Hermione eyed me and Draco both evilly, and then her eyes fell on our hands. An evil grin fell across her face as I dropped Draco's hand and crossed my arms. "I hope you know that I'm telling Neville about this." She said in an ultimatum kind of way.

"Go ahead. He knows I love him." I said, almost uncertain. Draco was just standing there, trying to stay out of the conversation.

Hermione had stalked out of the store after a few minutes of silence. Lee didn't follow her. His eyes watched her leave, and then looked back at us and at all the stretched out condoms lying around. "You guys mind if I stick with you until we leave?" He asked. I noticed he still had five duffle bags swung over his shoulder.

"Sure you can." I smiled, and moved forward. I opened one of his duffles, and put the rest of his in the one.

"Oh. I didn't think of that." He said, smiling. He looked around my back and snickered as he pulled a condom off my coat.


End file.
